Why did the grape coffee doll fall apart in the wash?

Nayuki's ninth-anniversary limited-edition plush dolls, including a grape design, drew complaints after buyers found them coming apart. One customer machine-washed a newly received grape doll and it separated into individual pieces; other buyers reported parts falling off after washing and drying. The dolls are assembled with hot-melt adhesive rather than sewn, and labels state they must not be washed.

Some buyers also received hidden-edition dolls with missing or incorrect facial expressions, adding to dissatisfaction with quality control of the merchandise. The episode spread across social media as a specialty coffee brand faced scrutiny over anniversary collectibles, and it highlights how limited-edition tie-ins can backfire when assembly methods and care instructions do not match what customers expect.

Nayuki launched limited-edition plush dolls for its ninth-anniversary birthday season, drawing a large number of fans to snap them up. However, after one consumer put a newly acquired grape doll into the washing machine to clean it, the toy fell apart completely, turning from a whole bunch into scattered individual "grapes." Similar cases were not isolated—several other users reported parts falling off after the dolls were washed and dried. The reason: these dolls are assembled with hot glue rather than sewn, and the labels clearly state they must not be washed. In addition, some consumers received "hidden edition" dolls with missing or incorrect facial expressions, sparking widespread dissatisfaction with the quality control of the merchandise.

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On December 7, Nayuki announced the launch of its "9th Anniversary Health Birthday Season," introducing a new anthocyanin cup to celebrate the brand's ninth birthday since its founding with fans.

Among the offerings, the multiple limited-edition plush dolls launched for this event had already captured many fans' attention upon the official announcement, making their hearts flutter. Once the designated bundles went on sale, they rushed to place orders, afraid of missing out on the fuzzy little trinkets they had their eyes on.

On social media, posts sharing Nayuki hug dolls also grew rapidly in number within a short time. Users showed off the dolls they had just received, shared the joy the limited-edition merchandise brought them, and exchanged tips with fellow enthusiasts on how to make the most of them.

But one netizen who got the grape doll, upon seeing the "crime scene" before them, felt not the slightest bit of joy—instead, they were somewhat caught between laughter and tears.

The user said that, out of personal habit, they would put newly purchased dolls into the washing machine for a wash before normal use. But they never expected that the Nayuki doll, which had barely been in their hands long enough to warm up, would completely fall apart after its baptism in the washing machine, going from a bunch of grapes to a "clearly separated" state.

Looking at the "dismembered" grape doll, onlookers sympathized with the netizen but couldn't help laughing out loud. "No wonder it's grapes—wash them and they fall apart, then you eat them," "Wash it and dry it in the sun, does it turn into raisins?" "It just turned back into real grapes," "Dismembered into twelve pieces," "My god, you murdered a bunch of grapes"—they teased the user as a "doll killer."

However, two other users encountered similar situations. They posted photos of their now-incomplete dolls, saying that after their Nayuki dolls were washed and dried, although there was no "crime scene," some parts still fell off the dolls.

As for why this happens, it's because these Nayuki dolls that "fall apart in water" are actually assembled with hot glue rather than sewn as consumers assumed. From buyer shows displayed on social media, traces of hot glue can clearly be seen remaining on some dolls. In addition, the product labels on these Nayuki dolls all clearly state "do not wash."

Therefore, the consumer who ended up with the "battle-damaged grape" could only lament that they shouldn't have been so quick to toss the doll into the washing machine, causing it to be "drawn and quartered." At the same time, besides several dolls that "fall apart after one wash," some consumers reported receiving "hidden edition" dolls with no sewn facial expressions or incorrect expressions.

Although only a minority of consumers received the "prize-winning dolls," many fans bluntly expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of Nayuki's limited-edition merchandise this time, saying they had ordered the bundles precisely because of these cute dolls, never imagining the quality would be so inconsistent. They felt like they were opening blind boxes—even if they got a piece of merchandise with poor quality control, they could only chalk it up to bad luck.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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